Pre-harvest Internalization:  Water-mediated Biological Internalization of Pathogens into Produce

Oct 23, 2023 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (Eastern Time))

Webinar Description

Organized by: IAFP's Fruit and Vegetable Safety and Quality PDG

What’s worse than pathogens on your produce? Pathogens IN your produce. This concept may be accepted as common sense by the fresh produce industry. Two related concepts are explicitly written into the Food Safety Modernization Act, Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR 112) and addressed in regulatory language:
1) Infiltration during postharvest washing due, in part, to temperature differential in wash water (§ 112.48, as published in 2015) and
2) Internalization while growing due, in part, to commodity susceptibility to adhesion and internalization (proposed § 112.43, as re-numbered in the proposal published in 2021)
In this seminar, subject-matter experts will discuss the state of the science about pathogen internalization while growing as caused by three different mechanisms (incorporation into ovary during blossom stage, plant-pathogen interactions on leaf surfaces, uptake through roots). Following the three 15-minute presentations, the presenters will discuss the risk to produce from pre-harvest pathogen internalization and take questions from viewers.

Learning objectives:
1. Gain a conceptual understanding of mechanisms that lead to preharvest pathogen internalization into fresh produce
2. Understand the research-based data describing how, when, and how much preharvest pathogen internalization might occur in various processes and commodities
3. Understand how existing data can be applied to assess risk related to preharvest pathogen internalization for various processes and commodities
4. Identify gaps in knowledge that may lead to further research related to preharvest pathogen internalization
5. Recognize uncertainties caused by gaps in knowledge, which may hinder attempts at assessing risk related to preharvest pathogens